The return of loony pregnancy superstitions

As much as I respect my mom and mother-in-law’s opinions, sometimes I think they belong on a different planet. I’m even more convinced that they come from loony-superstition-land when it comes to pregnancy.

When I was pregnant with Babycakes, I heard everything from “Don’t look at toy monkeys or your baby will be born ugly and wild!” to “Be careful, your baby will fall out if you wear heels!”

I brushed off a lot of these warnings, because they were just plain silly. Modern technology and science reassures me that a birthmark on my baby or some gurgle noise in my belly wasn’t caused by evil spirits.

Even still, my mother-in-law called almost daily to remind me to discard some stuffed monkeys that I won at the OC Fair. And my mom would call and declare that I was having a boy because she dreamed about tigers one night. (I had a girl.)

Now that I’m expecting another child, the superstitions are back.

“You must be having a boy because you’re a lot more sick this time around,” according to my mom. “And I’ve noticed Ella likes to play with toy cars and blocks so you’re definitely having a boy!”

“Don’t lean forward like that or you’ll squish your baby,” my mother-in-law said to me this weekend. I think she got the point when I looked at her like she had grown another nose.

Some superstitions and old wives’ tales could pass for believable. A lot of women attribute the heart burn they feel to the amount of hair on their baby’s head. Some say they can tell the baby’s gender if they are carrying high, low or wide. Others believe a pregnant woman should never go to a funeral to prevent a baby’s early death.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.